Current Affairs, 22 January 2026

Aim of CCTS

The CCTS framework aims to set up a national electronic platform for trading carbon credits and to use market-based tools for emission reduction.

Non-fossil capacity

As of March 2026, non-fossil share of installed electricity capacity was 53.21%, against the 2030 target of 50%.

Emissions intensity

Emissions intensity of GDP fell 37.38% between 2005 and 2022, beating the NDC target of 33-35% by 2030.

Green hydrogen standards

Emission thresholds and technical criteria have been notified to classify hydrogen as Green Hydrogen under the National Green Hydrogen Mission.

Legal basis

The Energy Conservation (Amendment) Act, 2022 enabled the carbon credit trading scheme; the BEE acts as its administrator.

First round

The first GEI targets were notified in October 2025 for four sectors and 282 entities.

Two mechanisms

CCTS has a Compliance Mechanism and an Offset Mechanism.

How credits arise

Entities that beat their intensity target get Carbon Credit Certificates and can trade them with those that miss targets.

Don’t confuse with Compliance vs offset mechanism: The compliance mechanism sets emission intensity targets for obligated industries. The offset mechanism gives credits to voluntary projects that reduce or remove emissions.

Don’t confuse with Carbon credit vs carbon tax: A carbon credit is a tradable certificate for a tonne of CO2e reduced. A carbon tax is a direct price levied on emissions.

Don’t confuse with Emission intensity vs absolute cap: Intensity targets limit emissions per unit of output; absolute caps limit total emissions.

Economy terms and data: 42 Prelims questions since 2013, rising in recent years; they test what a term or instrument means. In Mains, 12 news-triggered questions.

1. 2014Mains GS3 · Q13Maintain carbon credits and CDM despite falling credit value?
2. 2025Prelims Q34Evaluates statements on Article 6 of Paris Agreement and carbon markets
3. 2023Prelims Q23Assesses statements on carbon markets' role and resource transfers
4. 2011Prelims Q15Which statement about carbon credits is not correct

UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.

Population thresholds

Eligible habitations have 500+ people in plains, 250+ in NE and Hill States/UTs and special category areas, and 100+ in LWE-affected districts, as per Census 2011.

Cabinet approval

The Union Cabinet approved PMGSY-IV on 11 September 2024 for FY 2024-25 to 2028-29.

Outlay

Total outlay is Rs 70,125 crore: Centre Rs 49,087.50 crore and States Rs 21,037.50 crore.

Original scheme

PMGSY was launched in December 2000 as a centrally sponsored scheme for rural connectivity.

Don’t confuse with PMGSY-IV vs earlier phases: PMGSY-IV targets habitations still unconnected, using Census 2011 thresholds; earlier phases (I, II, III) dealt with new connectivity, upgradation and consolidation of routes.

Schemes: 52 Prelims questions since 2013, 10 in Prelims 2026 alone. They test features, the period and who funds it. In Mains, 33 news-triggered questions, mostly GS3.

1. 2013Mains GS2 · Q14Comment on PURA being rooted in establishing rural connectivity.
2. 2001Prelims Q56Which listed rural schemes, including Gram Sadak Yojana, were announced in 2000?

UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.

Model Groundwater Bill

The Centre prepared a Model Bill for States to regulate groundwater; 21 States and UTs have adopted it, including Bihar, Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh.

JSA: Catch the Rain

Launched on 22 March 2021, World Water Day. It includes setting up Jal Shakti Kendras in all districts.

NAQUIM 2.0

The Central Ground Water Board runs NAQUIM 2.0 (2023 onwards) to map aquifers and give issue-based inputs up to Panchayat level.

Master Plan for Artificial Recharge 2020

Outlines about 1.42 crore recharge structures to channel 185 BCM of groundwater recharge.

Don’t confuse with NAQUIM vs Atal Bhujal Yojana: NAQUIM is a CGWB aquifer mapping programme; Atal Bhujal Yojana is a community-led, incentive-based management scheme in 7 States.

Don’t confuse with JSA: CTR vs JSJB: JSJB is a recharge-focused initiative launched on 6 September 2024 under the JSA: CTR campaign, which began in 2021.

Environment: Prelims tests bodies, programmes and the law behind them; Mains asks why plans fall short.

1. 2025Mains GS3 · Q13Examine factors depleting groundwater in India and government mitigation steps
2. 2018Mains GS1 · Q14How water harvesting can effectively address depleting groundwater in urban areas
3. 2024Mains GS1 · Q14How declining Gangetic valley groundwater may affect India's food security
4. 2021Prelims Q62Whether groundwater exceeds rivers, lakes, polar ice caps and glaciers in volume
5. 2020Prelims Q98Which statements on CGWA, overexploited districts, and India's groundwater irrigation are correct
6. 2023Prelims Q76Whether India's groundwater extraction share matches UN report and population needs

UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.

Role

Designed for the Indian Navy's coastal battery requirement, and can engage static and moving targets.

Type

A hypersonic glide missile that can carry various payloads.

Propulsion

Two-stage solid rocket motor. After Stage-II burnout the vehicle glides unpowered before attacking the target.

Stealth against radar

Low altitude, high speed and manoeuvrability keep it undetected by ground and ship radars for most of its flight.

Hypersonic speed

Hypersonic means speed above Mach 5.

Don’t confuse with Hypersonic glide vehicle vs hypersonic cruise missile: A glide vehicle is boosted by rockets, then glides unpowered. A cruise missile uses an air-breathing engine such as a scramjet for sustained powered flight.

Don’t confuse with Ballistic vs quasi-ballistic: A ballistic missile follows a fixed arc after burnout. A quasi-ballistic path includes skips and manoeuvres, so it is less predictable.

Defence: Prelims tests exercises (with whom), equipment (who makes it) and firsts.

1. 2025Mains GS3 · Q20Maritime and coastal security challenges and the way forward for sea trade
2. 2022Mains GS3 · Q10Maritime security challenges in India and initiatives to improve maritime security
3. 2022Prelims Q34Which statement reflects the idea behind Fractional Orbital Bombardment System
4. 2009Prelims Q136Shourya missile's speed above Mach 8 and range above 1600 km
5. 2023Prelims Q58Ballistic versus cruise missile propulsion and flight phases; Agni-V and BrahMos classification

UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.

Transit time

End-to-end time falls from nearly 30 hours by road to about 12 hours by ToT.

Relaunch

The service was relaunched through an MoU with GCMMF (Amul) in June 2023, anchoring dairy volumes.

Tariff and GST

Freight is charged on weight slabs per wagon, and no GST is levied on milk tankers.

Operating body

ToT is part of the multimodal vision of the Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Limited (DFCCIL).

Wagon design

New wagons are being developed under the Flat Multipurpose (FMP) platform to carry trucks at higher payloads.

Don’t confuse with Trucks-on-Trains vs Roll-on Roll-off (RO-RO): RO-RO is the older Konkan Railway service carrying trucks on flat wagons; ToT is the DFC-based service on the Western DFC.

Economy terms and data: 42 Prelims questions since 2013, rising in recent years; they test what a term or instrument means. In Mains, 12 news-triggered questions.

1. 2014Mains GS2 · Q8Whether a Rail Tariff Authority benefits consumers, Railways, or private container operators.
2. 2022Mains GS2 · Q6Discuss Gati-Shakti's need for government and private sector coordination for connectivity.
3. 2020Mains GS3 · Q3Main constraints in transport and marketing of agricultural produce in India.

UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.

Released by

Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan released the framework on 22 January 2026.

Four pillars

The framework covers quantum communication, quantum computing, quantum sensing and metrology, and quantum materials and devices.

Link to national mission

It is aligned with the National Quantum Mission, of which the Defence Forces are an integral part.

Civil-military fusion

Milestones are to be met through civil-military fusion, using governing bodies with members from several government sectors.

Jointness

The framework stresses jointness and integration across the three services.

Don’t confuse with Quantum communication vs quantum computing: Communication covers secure key exchange and links (e.g. quantum key distribution); computing uses qubits to solve certain problems faster. Sensing measures physical quantities very precisely.

Science and technology: 57 Prelims questions since 2013; most test the concept behind the news, not the news itself. In Mains, 12 news-triggered questions.

1. 2026Prelims Q49Which statements on NQM goals and Thematic Hubs are correct?
2. 2022Prelims Q35Context in which the term qubit is mentioned

UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.